Graphene Oxide-Doped Polymer Inclusion Membrane for Remediation of Pharmaceutical Contaminant of Emerging Concerns: Ibuprofen

Abstract

The application of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) for the aquatic remediation of several heavy metals, dyes, and nutrients has been extensively studied. However, its application in treating organic compounds such as Ibuprofen, an emerging pharmaceutical contaminant that poses potential environmental problems, has not been explored satisfactorily. Therefore, graphene oxide (GO) doped PIMs were fabricated, characterized, and applied to extract aqueous Ibuprofen at varied pH conditions. The doped PIMs were synthesized using a low concentration of Aliquat 336 as carrier and 0, 0.15, 0.45, and 0.75% GO as nanoparticles in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) base polymer without adding any plasticizer. The synthesized PIM was characterized by SEM, FTIR, physical, and chemical stability. The GO doped PIM was well plasticized and had an optimal Ibuprofen extraction efficiency of about 84% at pH of 10 and 0.75% GO concentration. Furthermore, the GO doped PIM’s chemical stability indicates better stability in acidic solution than in the alkaline solution. This study demonstrates that the graphene oxide-doped PIM significantly enhanced the extraction of Ibuprofen at a low concentration. However, further research is required to improve its stability and efficiency for the remediation of the ubiquitous Ibuprofen in the aquatic environment.

Ibuprofen Removal by Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Coated Polysulfone Nanofiltration Membranes

“…Although other authors have worked at different pH values, in this work the experiments were carried out under conditions of neutral pH due to the isoelectric properties of the contaminant and the membranes used. However, values of permeate flows and rejection coefficients similar to those obtained in this study can be found [34][35][36].…”

The Application of Polymer Inclusion Membranes for the Removal of Emerging Contaminants and Synthetic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions—A Mini Review

“…The processes of separation of pharmaceuticals based on the use of membranes, such as polymer inclusion membranes, not only allow the removal of even small amounts of contaminants from complex matrices with high efficiency and selectivity but also fit into the trend of the so-called “green analytical chemistry” (consumption of small amounts of chemical reagents, reduction of the use of toxic solvents, the possibility of multiple uses of membranes) [ 36 ]. Recently, PIMs have been used to remove from aqueous solutions one of the most widely utilized pharmaceuticals, ibuprofen (IBF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, intended, inter alia, for lowering fever, pain relief and applied in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis [ 8 ]. There is a need to develop an effective method of removing ibuprofen from the environment because it has been shown that prolonged accumulation of this compound can adversely affect the hormonal balance in the aquatic systems [ 8 , 16 ].…”

“…Recently, PIMs have been used to remove from aqueous solutions one of the most widely utilized pharmaceuticals, ibuprofen (IBF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, intended, inter alia, for lowering fever, pain relief and applied in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis [ 8 ]. There is a need to develop an effective method of removing ibuprofen from the environment because it has been shown that prolonged accumulation of this compound can adversely affect the hormonal balance in the aquatic systems [ 8 , 16 ].…”

“…However, based on these results, it is not possible to clearly determine the suitability of β-CD-based PIMs for removing ibuprofen from real samples because wastewater samples contain many other components that can potentially affect the membrane process. Ahmad et al [ 8 ] reported that modification of PIMs with graphene oxide (GO) and small amounts of Aliquat 336 (methyltrioctylammonium chloride) as carrier allows for the removal of ibuprofen from model aqueous solutions. They reported that GO + Aliquat 336—doped polymer inclusion membranes made of PVC as base polymer without adding any plasticizer allow for the extraction of ibuprofen with an efficiency of ~84%, ~83%, and ~77% at a feed solution pH of 10, 6, and 2, respectively.…”

“…APIs found in wastewater include a vast variety of substances, among others, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, hypoglycemic drugs, anti-ulcer drugs, anti-epilepsy drugs, etc. [ 8 ], and also narcotic substances such as cocaine, barbiturates, methadone, amphetamines, opiates, heroin, etc. [ 9 ].…”